How can HR support the rise and success of Chief Sustainability Officer

NORTHAMPTON MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 17, 20,23 / Acre:

Acre, Tuesday, January 17, 2023, Press release picture

Acre Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Press Release picture

Tanith Alle wrote the following HR ZoneOriginal source: How can HR support the rise of the chief sustainability officer?

Tanith Allen is presently at COP27 and asks Tanith about how HR can support Chief Sustainability Officers. This will help shape our future, far beyond any report or net zero goal for 2050.

Both HR professionals and recruiters will have noticed an increase of demand for ESG talent over the past few years. We have seen the CSO role become more prevalent across all sectors as ESG has increased in corporate agendas.

It is interesting that, while the position has been embraced in North America and many of our EMEA region, the UK, which has one of the oldest corporate sustainability networks worldwide, is still lagging. C-suite sustainability is not something we seem to be embracing yet. Are there ways UK HR professionals can elevate sustainability practitioners within their organisations?

“There is still some hesitation in hiring a CSO.”

Who are the CSOs and what do they offer?

CSOs have often combined a C-level role with a traditional executive function, such communications, people, or strategy. Some businesses have made this a stand-alone CSO role. This will likely be filled by an experienced Executive Leadership (who might specialize in a more traditional corporate function).

However, it is not surprising that there is still hesitation in hiring a CSO. Companies are now opting to have Sustainability VPs instead of committing to upskilling or hiring talent to join their C-suite.

Today’s market is more conscious of ESG issues and we are seeing the potential value that a CSO can bring to businesses. This is a new space for practitioners.

What are the CSOs working alongside?

Our first major shift over the past few decades has been in team management and structuring. The traditional home of top-tier sustainability leaders was within Corporate Affairs and Compliance, depending on the industry, but today they are more likely to be reporting to the CFO/Investor Relations.

CSOs have to manage governance in today’s climate reporting and greenwashing environment. This includes ensuring that the company discloses all relevant issues and diversity and inclusion. Leaders recognize the reputational risks associated with communicating about ESG. CSOs should be included in commercial, procurement and reporting discussions early on.

“CSOs need to get buy-in.”

Businesses are increasingly looking at sustainability as a factor in their long-term planning. Organisations need to ask whether the materials, communities and energy resources they rely upon will be available in 10-20 or 30 years.

They can also work for change, if they are not able to do so. Here is where the CSO’s superpowers are most evident. They are responsible for guiding the company’s future by presenting solutions and influencing decisions made by investors and leadership.

What kind of training and skills are required?

It has been a significant development that it is no longer necessary that a sustainability practitioner sits at the top of the driving seat. The ideal pairing is someone who can both navigate the business and who also knows how to execute against these extremely specific thematic challenges.

You could do this pairing either way, i.e. The pairing can be either #1 or #2. However, it is vital to achieve success in today’s business environment. You may also benefit from a background or experience in strategy and engineering for Sustainable Business Transformation. This can provide valuable insights that allow you to see investment opportunities in a holistic way.

Effective communication, creative problem solving, and the ability to identify and pitch potential value and strategic opportunities are essential. A more technical level of delivery expertise is required by businesses. This requires someone who has an inclusive communication style and a deep understanding of the overall business goals.

The biggest roadblock to success

To drive real transformation in a company, it takes time. CSOs face the biggest challenge in gaining buy-in. Even though it is progressing at a quicker pace than ever, there is still much to be done.

In order to drive company buy-in at all levels and create a foundation for long-term sustainability, education has been essential. Although the CSO’s immediate staff is small, it can help businesses build a stronger network of sustainability professionals across key functions.

There’s good news: there is much more information available about the impact of sustainability strategies. You can also track progress and performance (e.g. the uptake of SBTi). CSOs today have a better framework from which to work. This allows them to focus more on the stakeholder engagement aspect of their role.

The key stakeholder in success is HR

While it is clear that CSOs must have a symbiotic relationship with the board in order to embed ESG into the mainstream strategy, HR can only support this.

“HR also plays an important role in enabling CSOs navigate the organisation’s structures and quirks.”

That could be championing sustainability’s importance to the board and enabling investment into organisation-wide L&D that creates sustainability talent within its own walls or investing in intelligence that showcases the best structures where business transformation has worked and embedded itself well.

HR plays a crucial role in helping the CSO navigate the organisation’s structures and quirks. This could involve facilitation of communication and teamwork as well as leveraging the most talented stakeholders to commercialise sustainability initiatives in the fastest possible time, creating case studies that are successful.

A sustainable future begins now

It is clear that ESG will become more integrated into other business functions. We will likely see more integration of sustainability departments across all departments.

HR professionals are key enablers in such a culture shift. They have a crucial role to play in driving impact after COP27, when governments and companies will explain how they will enact corporate pledges from last year.

Tanith is responsible for Acre’s recruitment efforts in manufacturing and infrastructure. Tanith joined Acre in 2012 and has since developed Acre’s executive consulting platform, Acre Bench. This platform provides flexible support for clients who face some of the most difficult materiality, strategy, and responsible value chain issues in sustainable development. She has placed ESG professionals at top industry organizations, such as Ball Corporation, LyondellBasell and Virgin Atlantic. Tanith works primarily with Acre’s clients to deliver executive recruitment projects as well as custom consultancy and business optimization assignments.

About Acre

Acre is a business that works with the most ambitious businesses who have the potential for real change. This includes those just starting out or those who are already well on their journey to creating a legacy.

With our 18-years of experience in sustainable recruitment and our global network, we can provide talent solutions that will deliver this change.

Our unique behavioural assessment technology allows us to understand the type of people, skills, and behaviours needed to make an impact. These qualities can be developed in your existing team.

We help people find their potential and train them to make an impact in progressive, ambitious organizations.

Acre. Making companies fit for the future

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Acre on 3blmedia.com.

Get in touch with us

Spokesperson Acre
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/acre
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Acre

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